YOU MUST KNOW THE MEANING OF VARIOUS HEPA AND MERV RATINGS BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR NEXT HVAC FILTER
Considering how much time the average American spends indoors, having good indoor air quality is not only important for their health, it is also extremely important both from the health and comfort perspectives. While many factors affect air quality, filtration is obviously one of the most important. The quality of air filters has a major impact on indoor air quality. In order to ensure you are getting the best filtration possible, it is important to know the meaning of the various HEPA and MERV ratings before you buy your next HVAC filter.
Without adequate filtration, you’ll end up with very high levels of airborne contaminants. Like:
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Dust
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Dust mites
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Pollen
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Pet dander
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Mold
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Skin flakes
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Viruses
Of course, not all filters are equal, and a filter that gives you a bad indoor air quality or an excessive amount of energy to use can make your indoor air and energy efficiency lower. But how can you tell which filters are the best for your home and your family? The first thing to do is to make sure you are getting the right filter. HEPA filters are a good place to start. They are effective at removing allergens and dust. MERV ratings are also important to consider. MERV ratings determine the effectiveness of a filter, with higher numbers meaning the filter can remove more contaminants. However, it is important to be aware of the MERV ratings as a general rule.
WHAT IS MERV?
Most residential HVAC filters have minimum ratings of 740 or 700. A 740 rating is fairly high quality for residential HVAC and a 700 rating might be an acceptable compromise for this situation.
Simply make certain to recall that the higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration. A filter with a MERV rating of 13 to 16 is viewed as a high-positioning MERV filter and can eliminate up to 75 percent of all airborne particles 0.3 microns or more prominent from the air. If you are searching for a higher-positioning filter, you may look for a filter with a MERV rating of 18 to 21. At this range, the filter can eliminate up to 90 percent of all airborne particles 0. 3 microns or more significant.
WHAT IS HEPA?
HEPA, or High Efficiency Particulate Air filters, are designed for applications which require trapping contaminants on the first go round. For example, you would not want viruses circulating in the air in a hospital, so the facility would definitely be equipped with a HEPA filter, which would trap all of the viruses before they were able to get into the air and circulate in the hospital.
HEPA filters can capture up to 99.7 percent of these particles by filtering into the center of the filter while not attracting particles, without attaching to the surface of the mat.
Due to the high particle capture rates, HEPA filters are more resistant to airflow compared to MERV filters because it is harder to overcome the flow resistance of glass fiber filters. This is why some MERV filters are made with metal mesh filters that do not work as well as HEPA filters.
WHICH ONE IS BETTER?
In the end, the decision of which filter to get will be a hard one for the homeowner. However, the MERV-rated filter is a less expensive option which delivers promised results at a reasonable cost. The HEPA filter is a more expensive option, but the results are often times the same or better than MERV filters.
In the end, the decision of which filter to get will be a hard one for the homeowner. However, the MERV-rated filter is a less expensive option which delivers promised results at a reasonable cost. The HEPA filter is a more expensive option, but the results are often times the same or better than MERV filters.
Remember that the air is recirculated, and that every time the air filters through the filters, the filters will capture up to 75 percent of airborne particles, and have plenty of fresh air to spray on your skin. This is why a filter is necessary to prevent the spread of viruses, and to keep your home safe.